Electric connector



Sept. 2, 1952 H. D. couslNs ELECTRIC CONNECTOR Filed April 28, 1951INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 2, 1952 Harry Dl- Cousins, Chicago; Ill. AppIicationApriILZS, 1951, Serial N o. 223,619..

This invention. relates to electricronnectors and more specifically tothat'part of the connector commonly refered to as the plug and which is.adapted to be detachably connectedto the other part of'the connectorcommonly referred'tof as the,socket.

An object ofmy invention isto provide a plug of'the characterhereinafter described having a minimum number of'parts in which'theconductorwire aresecurely connected'to the prongs of: the plug withoutthe employment of solder, screws or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a plug of thecharacter. hereinafter described a novel arrangement for securelyconnecting the conductorwires to the prongs of the plug in a manner suchthat the wires can notbe easily disconnected .from the-prongs and onewherein such wires. are securely connected to the prongs by a simpleoperation without the employment of theusual tools for such purpose.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

Theinvention consists in'the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyindrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 2-2 ofFig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the prongs;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view similar to Fig. 3 but showing certainparts in diiferent positions; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view similar to Fig. 5 but showing certainparts thereof in difierent positions.

The plug comprising my invention is shown in its prefered form ofconstruction in the accompanying drawings. In this connection the plugcomprises a body In which may be molded in a single operation fromsuitable insulating material or, if desired, in two similar halfsections. In the latter case, the sections are secured together by asuitable adhesive material. In either case the plug II] at its outer endportion l l provides a counterbore [2 preferably of a diameter slightlylarger than the diameter of an electric cord l3 and of a depth to permitthe end portion 14 of such cord to be projected a substantial distanceinto the bore l2 for safety purposes. This cord [3 comprises twoconductor wires I5 bound teams.- (01. 173-361) 2 and insulated from eachother in -'a"well'-fknown manner. In the'present instance these wiresareeach made up of a plurality of fine wire strands.

The interior of the body i0 is provided with parallel passages 16separated from each 'otherby a central web [1. These passagesl6-communficate with the bore and are adapted to have projected thereinthe endportions I8 of the wires [5 The end portions l'Qorthe passage ['6curve-' outwardly from each other and traverse spaced? slots 20 formedin thebody- |0.- 'These-slots fl extend in a direction parallel with thelong" axis of the plug and are adapted to'have' projected thereintheshank's 2i of-pron'gs' 2'2 these-prongs 22 is provided with anelongated slot 23'. The end portion 24 ofth s-lot- 23 1s shaped toconform to the cross-sectional' shape'; and sizeof the end portions l9ofthe passages- IB and toregister therewith. Opposite thisend portionthe prong provides a finger 25 sub stantially triangular in plan view,with its-apex directed in the directiontowarc'l the end portion .24- ofthe slot 23.

Each of the prongs 22 at itsend portion op-- posite the slot 23 isturned back upon itself to provide a yieldable latching finger 26. Theseprongs are formed of conductive spring material.

Prior to the connection of the prongs to the wire end portions [8 theprongs are projected in the slots 20 so as to bring the end portions 24of the slots 23 in registration with the end portions of the passagesIt. The wire lengths are then fed into the passages to project their endportions 20 through the end portions 24 of the slots 23. Upon thisaccomplishment, the prongs are then moved outwardly from the plug bodyIn to penetrate the fingers 25 into the wire end portions 20 and topress the wire end portions 20' against adjacent walls of the passageportions l9.

After this operation has been accomplished, the latching fingers 26 arefiexed toward the shanks of the prongs 22 to latch their end portions 21to the rear of keeper beads28, thereby to securely latch the prongs inposition upon the plug body It with the fingers 25 securely connectingthe wires l5 to the prongs.

From this description it is apparent that my improved plug may beassembled by one other than a skilled mechanic andwith ease and theminimum amount of labor. Should it be desired to replace the wires (5,such wires may be disconnected from the prongs and replacement. Wirescan be connected to the respective prongs by carrying out the simpleoperation hereinbefore set forth.

Each of- My im roved plug may be manufactured at an economical cost andmay be manufactured of such material as will best serve the purpose.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into efiect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, butdesire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come Within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. An electric plug comprising a body having formed in one end portion acounterbore, into which an end portion of an electric cord having twoconductor wires is projected, said body having spaced passages formedtherein with corresponding end portions of the passages communicatingwith the counterbore and with opposite end portions of the passagescurved in an outward direction with respect to each other, said bodyhaving spaced slots formed therein in the direction of its long axisextending beyond and bisecting the curved end portions of said passages,a pair of prongs having shank portions projected into said slots, eachof said shank portionshaving an elongated slot formed therein with oneend portion of the slot formed to register with the curved portion ofthe passage when said shank is projected the depth of the firstmentionedslots and having at the end opposite thereof a penetrating fingeradapted to penetrate a wire length positioned in an adjacent curvedpassage, said shank portions each having an integral yieldable latchingfinger, and keeper beads formed on said plug adjacent said shankreceiving slots and adapted to be engaged by said latching fingers tosecure said fingers in close parallel relation with respect to saidshanks and to latch said prongs in wire penetrating position withrespect to said wire lengths.

2. An electric plug comprising a body having formed in one end portion acounterbore into which an end portion of an electric cord having twoconductor wires is projected, said body having spaced passages formedtherein with corresponding end portions of the passages communicatingwith the counterbore and with opposite end portions of the passagescurved in an outward direction with respect to each other, said passagesbeing separated by a web provided within said body, said body havingspaced slotsformed therein in the direction of its long axis extendingbeyond and bisecting the curved end portions of said passages, a pair ofprongs having shank portions of a length less than the depth of theslots and adapted to be slidably projected into said slots, each of saidshank portions having an elongated slot formed therein with one endportion of the slot formed to register with the curved portion of thepassage when said shank is projected the length of the first-mentionedslots and having at the end opposite thereof a penetrating fingeradapted to penetrate a wire length positioned in an adjacent curvedpassage, said shank portions each having an integral yieldable latchingfinger, and keeper beads formed on said plug adjacent said shankreceiving slots and adapted to be engaged bysaid latching fingers tosecure said fingers in close parallel relation with respect to saidshanks and to latch said prongs in wire penetrating position withrespect to said wire lengths.

HARRY D. COUSINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,991,045 Becket Feb. 12, 19352,068,486 Gilbert Jan. 19, 1937 2,301,919 Petry Nov. 1'7, 1942 2,360,444Pollock Oct. 17, 1944

